Irish Coffee

Created by an airport restaurant chef in 1942, the first Irish Coffee was served to a group of New York-bound passengers stranded at a Limerick airbase due to inclement weather. As the story goes, one of the Americans asked whether or not the coffee was Brazilian and was told no, that’s “Irish” coffee.

From that point forward the drink became a popular staple at the airport bar. In 1952 a travel writer visiting Ireland brought the recipe to the United States where it was first served at the Buena Vista Hotel in San Francisco.